Please READ! Last post here...
19/November/2008 01:13 AM
Hello all!
I appreciate everyone who has read our escapades here.. on the visions website blog..
In all reality, due to technical toughness of updating the blog, and time and Mac constraints,
I really have rarely updated this blog, but fret not...
THERE IS A NEW (WORDPRESS POWERED) BLOG FOR VISIONS!
With this new format, I can update anywhere I have access, it’s totally customizable, and will allow me to
really add content anytime.
I’ll leave this blog you are reading up for some time, but anyone finding this post here...needs to point to
blog.visionsbethesda.com (yes, no WWW yet, working on that...there’s no real need to type it, but many will).
Also, please take a moment to check out my personal blog at
www.cheftony.me (this is a personal blog with my posts and other projects I’m working on...)
Both can be “subscribed” to via feedburner...now maybe I’m assuming that people reading my blog are not
techies like me, but basically feedburner is an RSS reader made easy. Just “subscribe” via email or another RSS reader, and you’ll get all the updates as I post.
You’ll have connections to my Twitter feed, and all sorts of fun posts on restaurants, social media, marketing, Visions Restaurant, and whatever else is going on with me.
Thanks for reading...
ChefTony
ps...remember,
blog.visionsbethesda.com
and
cheftony.me
NOW GO THERE AND REGISTER!!
I appreciate everyone who has read our escapades here.. on the visions website blog..
In all reality, due to technical toughness of updating the blog, and time and Mac constraints,
I really have rarely updated this blog, but fret not...
THERE IS A NEW (WORDPRESS POWERED) BLOG FOR VISIONS!
With this new format, I can update anywhere I have access, it’s totally customizable, and will allow me to
really add content anytime.
I’ll leave this blog you are reading up for some time, but anyone finding this post here...needs to point to
blog.visionsbethesda.com (yes, no WWW yet, working on that...there’s no real need to type it, but many will).
Also, please take a moment to check out my personal blog at
www.cheftony.me (this is a personal blog with my posts and other projects I’m working on...)
Both can be “subscribed” to via feedburner...now maybe I’m assuming that people reading my blog are not
techies like me, but basically feedburner is an RSS reader made easy. Just “subscribe” via email or another RSS reader, and you’ll get all the updates as I post.
You’ll have connections to my Twitter feed, and all sorts of fun posts on restaurants, social media, marketing, Visions Restaurant, and whatever else is going on with me.
Thanks for reading...
ChefTony
ps...remember,
blog.visionsbethesda.com
and
cheftony.me
NOW GO THERE AND REGISTER!!
|
New Blog is coming!!
03/November/2008 10:43 PM
Hi everyone...
Hard at work on my days off, figuring out how to use WordPress...you may not know (nor do you need to) what WordPress is..
suffice it to say, that with this format, I can blog and post up fun stuff from anywhere I can get to a computer.
This blog you’re subscribed to here has been fun, but a bit tough to update regularly due to the interface, and the need to use
FTP to upload the site every time I want to post...what does that mean in laymans terms? It means as I’m running around, cooking
lunch, paying the bills, promoting my restaurant, etc.. I rarely have the time to write anything, and I find a lot of choice stuff!
So...a Visions blog is forthcoming, not sure on whether I’ll just link from here, or try and setup a live link on the side..but you’ll be excited about what I bring, I promise!
Chef Tony
cheftony at visionsbethesda.com (email)
Hard at work on my days off, figuring out how to use WordPress...you may not know (nor do you need to) what WordPress is..
suffice it to say, that with this format, I can blog and post up fun stuff from anywhere I can get to a computer.
This blog you’re subscribed to here has been fun, but a bit tough to update regularly due to the interface, and the need to use
FTP to upload the site every time I want to post...what does that mean in laymans terms? It means as I’m running around, cooking
lunch, paying the bills, promoting my restaurant, etc.. I rarely have the time to write anything, and I find a lot of choice stuff!
So...a Visions blog is forthcoming, not sure on whether I’ll just link from here, or try and setup a live link on the side..but you’ll be excited about what I bring, I promise!
Chef Tony
cheftony at visionsbethesda.com (email)
Gary V and a Master Chef, Wine Person..and Vignon?
28/October/2008 12:07 AM
Through an amazing
history of tasting, Tim Hanni has come out with a
seasoning, that actually counteracts and balances the
action of wine and food to allow you to basically eat any food with any wine, and have it all balance out. They do a test with
Asparagus (typically a NO-NO) for drinking with wine
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action of wine and food to allow you to basically eat any food with any wine, and have it all balance out. They do a test with
Asparagus (typically a NO-NO) for drinking with wine
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Almost 1 year guys!! thank you!!
26/October/2008 09:01 PM
Updates going into
November, a Parrot named Chopper, and we’re almost at 1
year!!!
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Below is a link to our podcast, it will download to your computer...or find us on iTunes!
Podcast
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Below is a link to our podcast, it will download to your computer...or find us on iTunes!
Podcast
8 lbs of Tea in the World?? Crazy Tea Video...Kevin Rose
26/October/2008 12:07 PM
As a fan of Kevin Rose (technology Guru, Digg.com) I
keep up with his Qik Videos...this one is pretty
interesting...
He travels to a Tea House in San Francisco, and tastes a tea that is made so exclusive, it’s like $250 for a few grams. This tea is created by a husband and
wife team on a plot of land that is 30 feet by 10 feet. The first infusion of the pot is with lukewarm water, and only a few ounces...
We’ve actually just picked up some AMAZING teas called Mighty Leaf...if you haven’t heard of it (which I had not until recently)...it is an amazing line of teas, that are very high end, high quality, and with incredible flavors. I find that any flavor of their line, just have a very balanced flavor, smooth and soft notes, and just a blast to drink. I’m drinking much more tea (just finished a 3 cup pot actually) over coffee, although I’m not saying I’ll ever give up coffee. I find it much easier on the stomach and easier to drink a lot of it, and not get jittery.
Stop in and have a tea with us, our good friend Ellen Kardy turned us on to the Mighty Leaf, so I have to give her a hearty THANK YOU! She also just celebrated a birthday at Visions with her parents and my parents, long time friends and super great people.
So this is my Sunday, I’m updating the site, working on a new blog, yearning to get back into podcasting, and hoping our Sunday Brunch is a busy one...
Until later,
Chef Tony
He travels to a Tea House in San Francisco, and tastes a tea that is made so exclusive, it’s like $250 for a few grams. This tea is created by a husband and
wife team on a plot of land that is 30 feet by 10 feet. The first infusion of the pot is with lukewarm water, and only a few ounces...
We’ve actually just picked up some AMAZING teas called Mighty Leaf...if you haven’t heard of it (which I had not until recently)...it is an amazing line of teas, that are very high end, high quality, and with incredible flavors. I find that any flavor of their line, just have a very balanced flavor, smooth and soft notes, and just a blast to drink. I’m drinking much more tea (just finished a 3 cup pot actually) over coffee, although I’m not saying I’ll ever give up coffee. I find it much easier on the stomach and easier to drink a lot of it, and not get jittery.
Stop in and have a tea with us, our good friend Ellen Kardy turned us on to the Mighty Leaf, so I have to give her a hearty THANK YOU! She also just celebrated a birthday at Visions with her parents and my parents, long time friends and super great people.
So this is my Sunday, I’m updating the site, working on a new blog, yearning to get back into podcasting, and hoping our Sunday Brunch is a busy one...
Until later,
Chef Tony
Fans of Visions
24/October/2008 12:56 AM
For those who follow this blog and our site
updates...we will be moving to a Constant Contact
System for our Newsletter Mailings.
You that get the update to this blog through RSS will continue, but I will export your contact information (just email) and use in Constant
Contact. If you don’t care to get the newsletters and updates on that system, simply “unsubscribe” and you’re done.
So our plan is to send out 2-3 Newsletters per month, along with great offers at the bottom that you print and use, great food facts, wine
tasting notes, fun culinary tips, and up and coming events at Visions.
We greatly appreciate your continued patronage, THANK YOU for your constant feedback, and have a great weekend!
Tony
Visions
ps...also, my plan is to move the BLOG HERE to a Wordpress Blog that I’m designing, much more features, better look, and very accessible
so that I can update more often, and get you information as soon as it happens!
You that get the update to this blog through RSS will continue, but I will export your contact information (just email) and use in Constant
Contact. If you don’t care to get the newsletters and updates on that system, simply “unsubscribe” and you’re done.
So our plan is to send out 2-3 Newsletters per month, along with great offers at the bottom that you print and use, great food facts, wine
tasting notes, fun culinary tips, and up and coming events at Visions.
We greatly appreciate your continued patronage, THANK YOU for your constant feedback, and have a great weekend!
Tony
Visions
ps...also, my plan is to move the BLOG HERE to a Wordpress Blog that I’m designing, much more features, better look, and very accessible
so that I can update more often, and get you information as soon as it happens!
Customer Service
22/September/2008 12:47 AM
Here’s a topic near and dear to our hearts...customer
service. We love it, expect it, give it, and hopefully
our
guests feel it. Today, I just suggest to you a simple concept, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! As restauranteurs,
we invest more of our lives in our place, than we invest sometimes in families, homes, and friends. It’s true,
as owner/operators we are in our restaurant a lot of time, and when we aren’t, we’re working on marketing ideas,
new menus, getting ready for the next season, hiring people, etc...so believe me, we ARE committed!
For any place you go, the barber, the drug store, or your favorite restaurant...ahem, Visions that is... give feedback to
the operators. If they choose not to listen, ok, but you’ve done your part to solve the problem. Believe me, the owner
or hopefully higher up managers, want and need your feedback to help them become aware of the issues. With
economies tightening, and spending habits a little unpredictable, most businesses are cutting back, sometimes in
personnel. This means that there is more of a shared responsibility by all employees to care about guest experience.
You’ll see our cooks, and ourselves from where ever we are, greeting, helping to bus tables, bartending, doing whatever
we can to help run the place. Any good restaurant should be doing that. Any chance I get to drop off a check, or chat with
our guests, I do my very best to get there. Even if the feedback is not completely positive, it helps me to know what is
going on, and how we can improve.
So...please, speak up, tell us what you need if you don’t get it, and please, let us fix any issues before you leave. Visions
wants to be your favorite spot, so
guests feel it. Today, I just suggest to you a simple concept, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! As restauranteurs,
we invest more of our lives in our place, than we invest sometimes in families, homes, and friends. It’s true,
as owner/operators we are in our restaurant a lot of time, and when we aren’t, we’re working on marketing ideas,
new menus, getting ready for the next season, hiring people, etc...so believe me, we ARE committed!
For any place you go, the barber, the drug store, or your favorite restaurant...ahem, Visions that is... give feedback to
the operators. If they choose not to listen, ok, but you’ve done your part to solve the problem. Believe me, the owner
or hopefully higher up managers, want and need your feedback to help them become aware of the issues. With
economies tightening, and spending habits a little unpredictable, most businesses are cutting back, sometimes in
personnel. This means that there is more of a shared responsibility by all employees to care about guest experience.
You’ll see our cooks, and ourselves from where ever we are, greeting, helping to bus tables, bartending, doing whatever
we can to help run the place. Any good restaurant should be doing that. Any chance I get to drop off a check, or chat with
our guests, I do my very best to get there. Even if the feedback is not completely positive, it helps me to know what is
going on, and how we can improve.
So...please, speak up, tell us what you need if you don’t get it, and please, let us fix any issues before you leave. Visions
wants to be your favorite spot, so
Early Morning Musings...
08/September/2008 04:20 PM
FDA, Spinach, and Visions?
22/August/2008 12:45 AM
We were interviewed by Fox 5 in conjunction with the
recent FDA decisions to allow radiation of Spinach and
Iceberg
lettuce to help combat the chance of eColi...
Click this link...and go to the video in “sidebar”
I’ll have a copy that I can post up directly, but take a look for now!
thanks, Chef Tony
lettuce to help combat the chance of eColi...
Click this link...and go to the video in “sidebar”
I’ll have a copy that I can post up directly, but take a look for now!
thanks, Chef Tony
Curry Ebooks?
18/August/2008 11:11 PM
I’m really looking into publishing some ebooks and web
content on the restaurant business and cooking too. I
want to integrate our great bistro here in Bethesda
along with an internet component. I mean, there are all
types of niche marketing and recipe promotion, I even found a book
on CURRY?? I think I may just get one to see
how it comes out...
What kind of ebook would you be intersted in, how much would seem reasonable for a certain quantity of info?
Email me any thougts at cheftony@visionsbethesda.com
Take care, thanks for reading.
Tony
What kind of ebook would you be intersted in, how much would seem reasonable for a certain quantity of info?
Email me any thougts at cheftony@visionsbethesda.com
Take care, thanks for reading.
Tony
Twitter in Plain English
14/August/2008 12:02 AM
Ok, if you don’t get it,
I’m a fan of Social Media...why? Well, it’s free, it
works, and it’s pretty fun for the most part.
Can you overdo it? YES, but in reality, if you don’t bug people too much, and for others that enjoy, it’s a great way to connect,
share ideas, show off what you do, and find other people who do cool things. Pretty neat, hmm?
Well, I’m a fan of a site/show called “Commoncraft”. They basically use Video to describe and show off all sorts of fun tech stuff...
so if anyone has asked you “Are you on Twitter yet?” and that question made your brain hurt, here’s a great little video to explain...
And...If you decide to get on the Twitter Train.. here’s where to find me!
Enjoy.
Can you overdo it? YES, but in reality, if you don’t bug people too much, and for others that enjoy, it’s a great way to connect,
share ideas, show off what you do, and find other people who do cool things. Pretty neat, hmm?
Well, I’m a fan of a site/show called “Commoncraft”. They basically use Video to describe and show off all sorts of fun tech stuff...
so if anyone has asked you “Are you on Twitter yet?” and that question made your brain hurt, here’s a great little video to explain...
And...If you decide to get on the Twitter Train.. here’s where to find me!
Enjoy.
So I'm getting "locked up"
12/August/2008 11:18 PM
Before you start baking
me a cake with a file in it...It’s for Muscular
Dystrophy Association...
here’s the link to donate (and please keep in mind that we can raise money for 30 days)
I have to admit that I didn’t promote fast enough, but I’m hoping that we can raise as much
as possible to help these people in need.
Please take a moment to go to the site and donate whatever you can afford...
I know times are tough, but if you can do a little, it WILL
Here’s the site again...
Thanks, Tony
p.s. also keep an eye out for our daily/weekly video blog...
you’ll see posts here.. soon!
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here’s the link to donate (and please keep in mind that we can raise money for 30 days)
I have to admit that I didn’t promote fast enough, but I’m hoping that we can raise as much
as possible to help these people in need.
Please take a moment to go to the site and donate whatever you can afford...
I know times are tough, but if you can do a little, it WILL
Here’s the site again...
Thanks, Tony
p.s. also keep an eye out for our daily/weekly video blog...
you’ll see posts here.. soon!
27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="437" height="370" id="viddler_409e579">
Our Friend the World Champion
10/August/2008 11:21 PM Filed in: olympics
So in case you haven’t
seen our friend, the 6” 8” Malian that we know as
Modibo...
he is Iddis cousin, and I’d like to take this moment to encourage everyone within our
reach to cheer him on. Yes, he is fighting for Mali, not the US, but if all goes well, he’ll
be coming home at the end of the month with Gold...I’m not sure if the U.S. has a contender,
but we will be suporting Daba Modibo Keita and his fight. As time goes on, he has quite a
story to tell, We’ll be helping him to launch a website www.championkeita.com to showcase
his efforts and his wins.
Keep your eyes on the Olympics around August 22 or 23 when Champion Modibo will
be fighting. Oh, did we mention that he is the CURRENT World Champion in Taekwon Do?
That makes him pretty much the MAN to beat. I’ve enclosed a couple pictures and video
for you to be able to see him in action! He’s been a regular at our bar every Saturday eating
our Striped Bass stuffed with Herbs...and you may see him in a Visions shirt somewhere in his
time on TV
he is Iddis cousin, and I’d like to take this moment to encourage everyone within our
reach to cheer him on. Yes, he is fighting for Mali, not the US, but if all goes well, he’ll
be coming home at the end of the month with Gold...I’m not sure if the U.S. has a contender,
but we will be suporting Daba Modibo Keita and his fight. As time goes on, he has quite a
story to tell, We’ll be helping him to launch a website www.championkeita.com to showcase
his efforts and his wins.
Keep your eyes on the Olympics around August 22 or 23 when Champion Modibo will
be fighting. Oh, did we mention that he is the CURRENT World Champion in Taekwon Do?
That makes him pretty much the MAN to beat. I’ve enclosed a couple pictures and video
for you to be able to see him in action! He’s been a regular at our bar every Saturday eating
our Striped Bass stuffed with Herbs...and you may see him in a Visions shirt somewhere in his
time on TV
10/August/2008 10:38 PM
I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.
It covers:
- The best blogging techniques.
- How to get traffic to your blog.
- How to turn your blog into money.
I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.
Congratulations Cooking Class Winners!
09/August/2008 04:43 PM
How Ambarrasing ?!?! (Hey, life's too short if you can't
poke fun at yourself, right?)
14/July/2008 10:46 AM